Letters to the Editor, Aug. 19-21, 2017

Submissions from Park Record readers

Do you love Newpark plaza – the open space, events, concerts? Then help us preserve it!

A multi-story condominium project is seeking final approval for construction in the parking lot in front of Maxwell's. This structure will create a "fortress-like" appearance as you enter our beautiful plaza, blocking the view of the Swaner Nature Preserve and the mountains to the other side.

In addition to the impact of this proposed atrocious fortress on our beautiful open space plaza, the traffic safety implications are huge. The high concentration of retail and residential units, and the parking on the extremely narrow streets, already create a multitude of unsafe conditions for drivers and pedestrians, especially in the winter when the snowplows create snow banks which narrow the access even further. Additional residential development at Newpark will further add to the unsafe conditions and challenges to ingress and egress.

As an original Newpark homeowner of 13 years, this building plot was promoted to us by the developers for use as a low-profile retail or restaurant, not as a multi-story barricade. This is not the original vision of Newpark.

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PLEASE, PLEASE take a stand to protect the entire community from this project. Come to the final Synderville Basin Planning Commission Public Hearing, Aug. 22, 6 p.m. at the Richins Building where the Summit County library is located.

Editor: I have been a fulltime resident of Park City since 1994. When Dana Williams became Park City Mayor in 2001-2014, the town felt “different.” As a Latina resident and a proud citizen of this country, I experienced a transition in a town where I felt I had a voice. That inclusiveness in the community now seems to be missing. We live in a diverse town which, in my opinion, makes this community so interesting and, at the same time, challenging in so many aspects.

I have had the honor to meet, work and become friends with Dana Williams. I have tremendous respect and admiration for this man because of his capacity to understand, connect and unite Park City with the ability and integrity that our community deserves. Dana Williams is truly a leader, whose past experience and passion leading our community makes him the best candidate for Park City.

I personally feel Dana Williams has a unique and remarkable capacity to unify us, work with us, represent us and go above and beyond to meet the needs of our growing town. He possesses great passion and the wisdom to move our town with many voices in the right direction.

Marcela Rafide. Park City

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Efforts to preserve Bonanza Flat were humbling

Editor:

This week, the Summit Land Conservancy transferred the last of the $591,000 that we raised for the preservation of Bonanza Flat to Park City Municipal. We are amazed, humbled, and a little bit exhausted by the effort to raise nearly $600,000 in just five months, almost entirely from individual donors.

Important matching grants came from Park City Resort/Vail EpicPromise and Deer Valley Resort. Enthusiastic participation from groups like the Park City High School Interact Club, Park City Cooperative Preschool, and heroically the Park City Leadership Class 23 helped spread the word and incentivize gifts. Artists donated the work of their souls. Our local libation providers gave substantial cash contributions, noting that we can drink beer and wine AND save land.

As the Executive Director of one of the 12 nonprofits that helped raised the full $38 million to save Bonanza Flat, I get thanked all around town. But in fact, this heartfelt gratitude really should go to the voters of Park City who first supported the $25 million dollar bond, to the 565 individuals who made gifts through the Conservancy, to the City leaders and staff who worked long hours to sort out the details, to Utah Open Lands who wrung reluctant dollars from Salt Lake City entities, to my Board of Directors who supported me and my family during the five months of campaigning, and to the accomplished, brilliant, dedicated, and professional staff at the Summit Land Conservancy's HQ.

The wildflowers are blooming in Bonanza Flat today. Their colorful glory is all the more wonderful as we now know that those flowers will be able to bloom on Bonanza Flat forever. Thank you.

Cheryl Fox, Executive Director Summit Land Conservancy

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Use of Ecker view for parking seems short-sighted

Editor:

My wife and I have ridden the White Bus from Kimball Junction into Park City several times, driving from our house in Pinebrook to the KJ transit center and parking either at the library or the Information Center parking lot. It's very convenient. But why would anyone park at an Ecker view lot (see, Summit County identifies park-and-ride lot options (8/8/17)) and wait for a bus to the KJ transit center when they could drive a little farther and park at or near the transit center?

It seems to me that even if an Ecker view lot is built, most people will drive to the transit center and park at the library, the Information Center, Walmart, Taco Bell or Skullcandy lots. A better option, if feasible, might be to skirt the west side of the Powderwood development and come in through Tech Center Rd to a lot near the transit center. That would take a lot of traffic off of Kilby Rd., which already backs up to Walmart whenever Tanger has a sale. It would also divert some traffic that would take Interstate 80 to State Road 224 to the transit center. Even absent a transit center parking lot, a bypass around Tanger, Whole Foods and Walmart will likely be necessary sometime in the future because Kilby simply won't be able to handle the traffic in that area.

Robin Filion Park City

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Don't paint General Lee as a hero

Editor:

In response to the Guest Editorial regarding Charlottesville (Charlottesville violence could have been averted, Aug. 16-18, 2017):

Whatever General Lee’s personal merits, he chose to lead the secessionist army and through his superior talents probably had more impact on prolonging the Civil War than any other man. Rather than preserving and defending the Constitution of the United States, he chose the treasonous path of revolt to maintain the institution of slavery. Let there be no misunderstanding of history: slavery not states rights was the cause of the Civil War.

Nearly all of the statues found throughout the South were erected as symbols of resistance, first to reconstruction and later to civil rights.

It is best to evaluate the organizations who are using the removal of these statues and their motivation. The KKK, the Nazis, and the Alt-Right movement espouse the master race philosophy that our Greatest Generation fought and died to defeat. They may use “history” as a smoke screen for their activities, but their goal is clear — A White Nation. It is every American’s duty to stand up to these evil influences on our society.